Theran
Theran was the species making up The Royal Allegiance. They were fairly similar to Humans, different in a few small but key ways. Origins The Order was a group of Humans genetically modified to become the perfect soldiers. The Forerunners did this because they saw that, if they were killed before they sought shelter from the Halos, there would be no one to watch over the galaxy, no one to take up their 'mantle'. As a result of this, The Order was formed, their purpose to guard the galaxy in secret and protect what the Forerunners left behind. After The Flood had all died out, these enhanced humans were released from suspended animation on the Ark and sent out into the galaxy. However, one ship was damaged by a spatial anomaly, causing it to crash on a long-abandoned Forerunner world. While the rest of The Order continued unaware, another faction of these enhanced humans, calling their world Thera and themselves Therans after it, lived and developed in secret in the Perseus Arm. Physical Characteristics Often appearing no more than tall humans at first, Therans had small but vital differences. The most obvious of these was a height difference. Therans were generally slightly taller than most Humans, though this was not always obvious. With females especially this was visible, as their average height was higher than most Human females. With the men this was not always as obvious as tall Human men were roughly the same size as average Therans. Another difference was Muscle density. Therans had a much higher concentration of mitochondria in their muscle cells, allowing for increased energy reaction and therefore a higher energy output to volume ratio. This was seen in Therans by their slightly thinner frames, despite the fact that they possessed strength in excess of normal Human strength. Therans were also more resistant to dangerous environments and external threats. They were more able to withstand extreme variations in temperature, as well as trauma, for example a bullet wound or a long fall. They also regenerated tissues and recovered from injuries and fatigue at a markedly increased rate compared to Humans. This species also exhibited an ability to actively neutralise blood-borne threats such as bacteria or viruses. It negated or reduced the damage done by foreign agents in the bloodstream. Theran's skeletal structure was also slightly different than that of humans. Bone plates interconnected between ribs, covering the intercostal muscles and offering more protection against injury. Bones were stronger and slightly thicker, lessening the chances of fractures. The main arteries of Therans also possessed a limited but extremely advantageous ability to close down after a breach. This is similar to this ability in young Humans though it was present throughout Theran's lifespans. Their hearts were almost twice the size of Human's hearts, and their eyes gave them 60% better vision. They could also see far better in low-light conditions. Their brains were more active, unlike Humans who only used a small part of the brain. They had a much higher platelet count in their blood, giving it a deep reddish-orange colour and increasing blood clotting. Their capacity to produce antibodies was massively increased, and, although their lung capacity was not more than that of Humans, they used up to 80% of it, compared to Humans who only used a small portion of their capacity. They had an average lifespan of around one hundred years. Other Uses of 'Theran' *'Theran' was the demonym for citizens of the planet Thera. As Thera was also the capital of Allegiance space, it is sometimes used as a collective term for all citizens of the Allegiance. It was also the Allegiance designation for the language they spoke, which was essentially English with some extra words and some missed out.